Corporations are paying for worker abuse audits that are ‘designed to fail’, say insiders

US and UK companies with foreign operations use audits to prevent worker abuse - but auditors say the checks aren't working

• McDonald's and Chuck E Cheese tied to alleged foreign worker exploitation
• Revealed: Amazon linked to trafficking of workers in Saudi Arabia

Before he began the interviews, Ahmed swept the room for cameras and recording devices. He then invited the workers in, one by one, spending about 10 minutes talking with each.

They were employed at a factory in the Middle East that supplied goods for a major American company - and it was Ahmed's job, as an outside auditor, to uncover any labor abuses. Often, before he could even ask a question, the staff members hastened to assure him that they were happy with their jobs.